Valve spring compressor



June 15, 1948. NECKER 2,443,193

YALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR Filed April 20, 1945 I GEORGE J. NECKER Patented June 15, 194-8 George J. Necker, United States Navy.

Application April 20, 1945, Serial No.=589,'437

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of 'March 3,: 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. (in-757) 1. This invention relates-to means for assisting in the removal or insertion of valve springs in internal combustion engines, and more specificallyto a tool for compressing a valve spring.

Most val-vesprings are stiff and it is difiicult to hold the spring in compression for removal or insertion because of the lack of convenient means for exerting sufficient pressure on the spring to compress it and to hold it compressed while the spring retaining means is removed from or is inserted into the valve stem. Furthermore, difficulty is frequently encountered in overhauling motors because the valves are so close together that. it is impossible to use the ordinary valve spring compressor without interference irorn an adjacent valve spring.

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved valve spring compressor Whichis adapted to simultaneously compress and hold one or more valve springs compressed while the retaining means is being removed from or inserted in the valve stem, which is simple in construction and which is readily operable.

With the aforesaid objects in view, invention resides in a valve spring compressor comprising means adapted to be anchored to the cylinder head, means associated with the first named means adapted to bear against an end of a valve spring to be compressed, means mounted on the first named means operable to move the second named means in a direction to cause the second named means to compress the spring, and means for effecting operation of the last named means. As illustrated, the device is especially adapted for compressing a plurality of valve springs simultaneously, and consists of a post adapted to be anchored to the cylinder head centrally of a plurality of valves, by a latch pivoted to the lower end of the post for engagement with the underside of the head. Arranged to slide on the post, is a sleeve to which are pivotally secured a pair of cams. A plate is also sli-dably mounted on the post for movement in a plane perpendicular to the post, the plate being adapted to engage the tops of the springs to be compressed and the sleeve being slidable along the post to bring the cams into engagement with the plate. Means is provided for securing the sleeve to the post when the cams engage the plate and means also provided for actuating the cams to depress the plate, thereby to compress the springs.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved valve spring compressor; and

2 is anend elevational view of a block which forms a part 'ofj'my improved valve spring compressor.

Referring to Fig. 1, m'yimprovecl valve spring compressor is illustrated generally by the reference character ill in an operative position, that is, partially compressing a plurality of internal combustion engine valve springs 12 which surround valve stems it of aplurality of valves it which are shown diagrammatically associated with a cylinder head i8. While the valves illustrated are quadruple overh'eadvalves such as are commonly employed in internal combustion engines of the General Motors type, it is to-be understood that the device can be used with equal effectiveness for other valves The device comprises a post 28 adapted to be inserted through an opening. 2| in the cylinder head in a substantially vertical position and is locked against withdrawal from the opening by a latch 22 pivoted at 24 on the lower endof the rod, the latch beingadapted to engage the under side of the cylinder head. Mounted for move-- ment along the post is a block 26 which is shown in Fig. '2,- to have a central aperture [9 adapted telescopicallyto fit the post and a pair of slots 28 therein adapted to receive a vpair of cams 3d. The cams 39 are pivotally mounted in the slots 23 on a pair of bolts 32, the latter being threaded through apertures 3.3 in the opposite walls of the slots 28. There is also mounted on the post 2d a plate 34 which is adapted to move along the post in a plane which is perpendicular thereto and has apertures 36 and 38 formed therein. The aperture 36 is of suii'icient size to fit over the post 2t and to permit free movement of the plate along the post and the apertures 38 are of sutficient size to fit over the ends of valve stems i i. The number, size and disposition of the apertures 38 in the plate 34 will be determined by the number of valves, the size of the valve stems and the disposition of the valves. The plate 34 when mounted on the post 28 is adapted to be moved into engagement with the retaining washers Ml against which the valve springs l2 bear, the plate being designed to engage the ends of a plurality of valve springs so that they may simultaneously be compressed. After the plate is brought into engagement with the ends of the valve springs, the block 26 is moved along the rod as to bring the cams 39 into engagement with the plate and is then locked to the post by a pin 52 arranged to be inserted in an opening it formed diametrically through the post 20 to engage the upper surface of the block 26. To prevent loss of the pin and the block 26, it is desirable to pivot 32 and as will be seen the .cams are. so

shaped that movement of the arms!!! away from each other causes depression of theplate 34,-and

hence, compression of the springs I 2 which is the condition shown in Fig. 1.

It is apparent that by compressing the springs l2, the retaining 4 means which is shown by way of illustration only as pins 52 at the ends of the valve stems may easily be removed and that if the arms fiil are thenmoved toward each'other, the springsmay be allowed to reexpand to a point wherejthere is no longercompression in them, and hence the valve springs and valves, maybe relea'sed'and removed. l

The device as described above is designed especially 'for. removing the valve springs from quadrupally arranged valves of internal 'combustion engines wherein the valves are mounted in the cylinder head 'andmay be removed from the top of the engine. type are so close'together that it is difiicult to use the usual single valve spring compressor without fouling. it up. with the spring of an adjacent valve. In using the above described compressor for a plurality of valves, thepost 20 is inserted through the opening 2| in the cylinder head [8 far enough. to allow, the latch 22 to. pass through theopening 2| and engage the underside of the head, the plate 34 is mounted on the post wand moved; downwardly into engagement with the upper ends of the springs l2, and block 25 is placed on the post and moved into engagement with the plate 34 and the pin 42 is inserted in the opening 48 to lock the block in place, and 4 thereafter, the operator, by moving, the arms 541 away 'from each other, effects downwardmove- Overhead valves of this ment of the plate 34 to compress the springs 12 so that the pins 52 may be removed from the valve stems or reinserted on the valve stems depending upon whether the springs are being assembled or disassembled.

, The invention described herein maybe manufacture'd and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmen- I tal purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. A

-' What is claimed is: V

A tool for compressing valve springs comprising a post having a latch near one end, a plate slidable on the post in a plane perpendicular thereto, said plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein of such diameter as to loosely fit over the end of a'valve stem, a block slidable on the post, a pair of slots in the block,

a'pair of cams seated in said slots, bolts threaded into the. block through the slots upon which the cams are pivoted, said block being movable to a position on said post to bring the cams into engagement with the plate, means for locking the block to thepost and means for effecting rotation of the cams to move the plate along said post away from the block.

GEORGE J. NECKER. 7

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are ofv record in the file of this patent: 

